Repair Cafe Latrobe Valley

The Latrobe Valley Repair Café is an initiative of Morwell Neighbourhood House to identify locals with a passion to share their skills with others to repair items and teach them how to do it for themselves. We are focused on sustainability, skill sharing & building connections.

We are hoping to tap into the incredible wealth of skills & knowledge in our community to help build capacity, support connections, reduce landfill & household spending. Most of all we want to provide a space to celebrate our community strengths, a space owned and operated by our community.

We are hoping to hear from volunteer repairers who have the skills to repair furniture, bicycles, clothing, textiles, books battery-operated appliances.

This will be a share and learn space, you might be able to play an instrument or be a history buff with stories from yesterday year to share with someone who is keen to listen. Maybe you have skills in sharpening tools.

Get in touch with us by calling 51345488. Once we have identified a couple of passionate & eager repairers we will set a date for our first café. facebook page.

Repair Café.

WHAT HAPPENS AT A REPAIR CAFE EVENT?
On arrival, all you’ll be asked to complete a Registration Form. The house rules are printed on the reverse and it’s important that you read and understand them and then sign the disclaimer before seeing a repairer. We ask that everyone accepts that all repairs are undertaken at their own risk. The Repair Cafe reserves the right to refuse any item if it is deemed to be in a dangerous condition and also cannot take responsibility for any item once it has left the premises.

After registration, you’re matched up with one of our volunteer repairers who will examine the item, diagnose the problem and offer advice before proceeding with the repair. In the case of an item being damaged or broken beyond repair, the repairer will discuss the options which may, if required, include guidance on its safe disposal. You can work with our volunteer fixers to do the repairs yourself (with their guidance) or have them tackle the job directly and see how it is done. The exchange of a good story with your repairer is always welcome!! With luck, you’ll walk away with a once-again useful item and some knowledge of how to repair other things and greater confidence to do it.

Our repair cafe sessions may get busy and, after the first half hour or so, you may have to wait a bit. You can have a coffee and a look around – it’s pretty interesting seeing other people’s items being fixed. We try and keep waiting times to a minimum but the coffee aspect also provides the opportunity to sit and chat and meet others in your community.

DO I NEED TO BOOK IN ADVANCE?
?We don’t take bookings in advance but we do invite you to contact us if you’re planning on bringing something that may require materials or parts. Otherwise, you can come along and get the item assessed and then return later or to a future repair cafe event after purchasing or sourcing the fixings you’ll need. The best way to contact us is through our Contact www.morwellnh.org.au page or on Facebook when we post the repair cafe event that you’re planning on attending.

WHAT DO I PAY FOR THIS SERVICE
Repair Café doesn’t charge for repairs. It is offered in the spirit of the gift economy where we hope to share what we know and can do with our community. If the purchase of repair parts or materials is required, and they are available, you may be asked to pay for them.

Of course, donations to help cover other expenses, like operating costs and miscellaneous supplies, are always appreciated. We usually have a donation jar at each repair cafe event that you can pop in a gold coin or something of the folding kind! You’re welcome to bring along some baked goods or nibbles to share. If you can tell a grand story while your repair is underway, that too would be gratefully received!!

We have volunteers who will share their skills and knowledge on the following:

· small electrics, basic soldering

· string instrument repairs

· basic hand sewing, buttons, hems, crochet & knitting

· sewing machine sewing, mending clothes

· knife sharpening

You are welcome to bring any items along that would fit into these categories:

2017 Dates for the Repair Cafe are Saturday 21st October & Saturday 25th November

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Since 2015 the Hazelwood Health Study has published several research reports detailing many of its findings. The latest was released earlier this month, with much more to come. To learn more about our findings, click on the image below.

Summaries of the technical reports can be found at bit.ly/2E6ex9A. These summaries and fact sheets break down our reports into easy-to-read formats. ... See MoreSee Less

Since 2015 the Hazelwood Health Study has published several research reports detailing many of its findings. The latest was released earlier this month, with much more to come. To learn more about our...

The People’s PlaceMorwell Neighbourhood House & Learning Centre is very much the people’s place for our community.

A little not for profit organisation, community owned and community managed.

Operating on the Asset Based Community Development model of practice; we take a strengths and asset based approach to all of our work.

Supporting individuals to grow, bring people together and develop our community’s capacity to identify and find solutions for local issues. This means we focus our energies on supporting our community to be a stronger and a better place to live in.

Our program and services are developed in response to the needs of the community. The program changes each term and reflects classes, workshops and social spaces our community have suggested.

Things you can do at MNHLC include * Join classes and learn new things * Have lunch on Tuesday * Meet new people * Socialise and make new friends * Hold meetings * Use computers and the internet * Get assistance with community issues * Borrow a lawn mower * Volunteer * Relax in our lounge and read a book * help in our garden. *Shop at the Free Store * Fix things at the Repair Cafe*

Morwell Neighbourhood House VisionEmpowering our people at Morwell Neighbourhood House to be united & resilient with a focus on well-being, and connections. Demonstrating support to our community as they define, strive and achieve their identified aspirations. ... See MoreSee Less